Apparatus for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes.



P. E. PBRNALD. APPARATUS FOR USE IN'THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION PILED OGT. 20, MIL

Patentd Apr@28,1914.

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HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNGR E0 UNITED $383 MACHINERY COMPANY, OF ZPATERSON, 137115? JERSEY, A CORZPQEATEON 0? NEW JERSEY.

AEPARATUS FOR USE IN THIEMALNUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHGES.

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Application fiieu oeteber 20,1911. srialnaetacev. i

To alZ uifiiamtmay concern: I ratus which is adapted particularly for Be it known that 1,-FRANK E.- FERNALD, a: citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, county of Strafford, State of New Hampshire, have invented certain 1mprove ments in-Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes;

' More part-icul'arlyit relates to an apparatus for use in lasting boots and shoes.

The operation of lasting the toe portions of shoes results in damaging a considerable percentage of shoes by causing the leather to crack or break where it is pulled tightly over the bottom of th'e'last- This result is due langely tothe fact-that agre'at deal of upper. material, including portions of the cap, lining and the toe hon or toe stifi'ener, is gathered at this point, and the wipers of the lasting niaohine-must necessarily pull the leathervery tightly in order to overcome its tendency topucker and crimp. While it has usually been customary to last the shoe with the leather in a moistened or tempered condition, this expedient does not avoidthe damage referred to, but, in many cases, merely delays the cracking or breaking of the leather since this action occurs later while the shoe is drying out. While the cracking of, the leather at the tips causes more or less trouble in substantially all styles of shoes, it is especially likely to occur in those shoes having high toes in which, of course, the amount of upper material that must be disposed smoothly about the toe is increased and, consequently, the strains placed upon the stock during the lasting operation are correspondingly increased.

I have found that the percentage of damaged shoes may be greatlyreduced by treating the toe portion of'the shoe with steam or hot vapor justbefore the lasting operation is performed on this part of the shoe; The yapor penetrates the leather and other parts of the upper, rendering them set soft and pliable that they-may be worke'd over the toe much more easily and smoothlythan when treated according to-the usual process.

The present'invention provides an appaabove described, although it is considered One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the figure of the accompanying drawing.

which may conveniently be made of'sheet metalor of any other suitable material; A steam pipe 4a is led ,th jough tl e tank is provided with a .valve 6 on the live steam side and a valve 8 on the exhaust side. This pipe has perforations 10 along its lower side to allow steainto escape into ,the tank. An outlet or drip pipe 12 is set into the vhottorn of the tank to draw off any surplus. water, a valve it being provided to enable the workman to regulate the quantity of water within: the tank. E prefer to" run the apparatus with the steam pipe submerged, the valve 8 closed, and the valve la adjusted to keep substantially aconstant level in the tank. Any surplus water may be drawn oif through the valve 8 or the valve 14. This arrangement prevents the escape of live steam into, the tank which might burn or enables the workman to regulate the temperature of the water by adjusting the valve 6.

In the front wall of the tank an aperture 16 is provided for the receptionof the toe portion of one or more shoes. The shoe is protected from co htact with the metal of the tank by pieces, 18 and 20, of Wood. orother heat insulating material placed, one on the inside and the other on the outside of the tank, and secured together and to the tank by screws 22. These members project above theedge of the metal wall and are shaped to conform to the part of the shoe which rests upon'them. 1

In order to support the shoe in the apparatus, there is provided a roster frame 24;, consisting of a support carryin two pairs of pins 26 that project upward y and away from the front wall of the apparatus just below the aperture 16. This rest may be secured to the tank or it may be merely placed in front of thetank on the bench upon which the tank rests.

treating the toes of shoes in the manner within [the scope, of this. invention to treat other parts of-a shoe in the same manner. i

The apparatus shown comprises a tank 2, v V

allow the water to escape just fast enough to 1 otherwise injure the shoe. Furthermore, it

ifroln the body of water.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is provided with a tray positioned within the tank at a point below the space occupied by the shoe. This tray supports a layer of fibrous material 30, such, for instance, as felt or cotton waste. Steam or vapor escapes through the numerous perforations. as 32, in the tray and through the materal 30 into contact with the shoe. An exhaust pipe 34 set into the top of the tank conducts the vapor away from the apparatus. The material 3O retards the flow of vapor through the tank and cools the vapor somewhat. It is of value more particularly in those cases in which the workman wishes to use steam coming directly from the pipe 4 without first escaping into water, as in the preferred arrangement.

In using the ap aratus, the workman usually lasts the si es and heel of a shoe and then places it in the rest 24 with its toe projecting into the tank where it will be subjected to the action of the vapors rising i The workman next lasts the sides and heel efimersmr and places 1t in the'rest with its toe in position to be'steamed By this time the first shoe has become sufiiciently softened to last easily and the workman therefore removes it and lasts the'toe while the leather is still hot and moist. I have found that the treatment of the stock in this manner makes the lasting of the toes very much easier, thus enabl ng aworkman to last more shoes in a given time; that it avoids most of the damage that heretofore has been experienced in lasting toes, and that the shoes dry out in a better condition than when treated in accordance with the methods heretofore practised. Obviously it may be advantageous under some conditions to treatthe toes of shoes in this manner before the pulling over opera tion, or to treat some portion of the shoe other than the toe, and I regard such operations as coming within the scope of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention what I- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a tank for a body of water, means for heating the water and means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion only in position to be acted upon by the vapor arising from said body of water. 2 An aplmratns of the character de- -s iribed comprising a tank for a body of water, means for supporting a shoe with its toe in said tank above the surface of the Water and a steam inlet pipe arranged to deiiver steam into the water.

An apparatus of the character described comprising a tank adapted to hold ture for the reception of the toe portion of a shoe, means to deliver steam into the lower part of said tank, an outlet from said tank and means whereby the quantity of water in the tank may be regulated by the workman.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising a tank having an opening in one of its walls for the insertion of the toe portion of a shoe, a supporting frame for the shoe positioned in front of said opening, said frame being open at its front end to permit the shoe to be inserted into and withdrawn from th'e opening in the tank in substantially a s tirai, ;ht.line and means for supplying vapor to the tank.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a metal tank having an aperture for the reception'of the toe portion aperture to support a shoewith its. toe in said aperture, means for protecting the shoe from contact with the metal of the tank and means for supplying vapor to the tank.

6. An apparatus of the character de- 'scribed conrprisingsnmwing an apera rest positioned adjacent to said aperture to support a shoewith its toe portion in said aperture and means for supplying vapor to said tank. 7

7 An apparatus of the character described comprising a tank having an aperto support a shoe with its toe in said apert1on occupied by the toe of the shoe for terial.

8. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, a metal box provided with an opening in one face for the insertion of the toe portion of a shoe, a rest for the shoe arranged with relation to the said opening to support the toe piece out of contact with the opening in the box, and means for supplying said box with vapor.

scribed, in combination, a box provided with an opening in one of-its vertical faces for the insertion of the toe portion of ashes, a supporting frame for the shoe secured to said box in nt of said opening and open serted into and withdrawn from the opening in the box in' a substantially straight path, and means with vapor. I

10. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a box provided with an opening inone of its vertical faces for the insertion of the toe pot 'on of a shoe, a

a body of water, said tank having an apering forming chambers in communication of a shoe, a rest positioned in front of the ture for the reception of a portimofarshoe,

fibrous material and means for generatingvapor in the tank below said fibrous maat its front end to permit the shoe to be ini for supplying said box,

ture for the reception of a portion of a shoe, a rest positioned in front of said apertureture, a support in the tank below the pos1- In an apparatus of the character dei partition wall in said box below said open- :1 each ether, and a steam inlet pipe ex tended through the lower part ofisaid box iduecl within the box Wiiii an inlet m said. lower chamber, v

An apparatus of the character described comprising tank haviiig. one or more apertures for the rsceptio i pithejtme 0i 2,: shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe in the tank, means fo supplying hot vapor Within tile tank, ami pretecfiing means 10 for the shes,

in testimony "whereof i have signed my name to this specification iii the presence 05 5W0 subscribing Witnesses.

' FRANK. E6 TFERNALD.

Witnesses;

LAURENCE. V VIQGILL, JAMES CAVAHAGH. 

